We are on a mission to open minds, one book at a time! Did you know that when you bring an author to your organization or place a bulk book order with us that you are supporting this mission, too?
In February 2018, with assistance from a DC-area author, Hooks Book Events kicked off a new program — HBE Bridge Builder Events. Our goal for these events is to provide DC-area students access to America’s thought leaders with in-person and now virtual book and author talks, as well as exposure to poetry writing, art, and yoga. Our internal motto for these is, “If we get to do it, the students get to do it!”
With generous support from our friends at Companies for Causes (CFC), under the leadership of Tom Raffa, our funds were housed and managed.
Our first CFC/BBE author event was held on February 21, 2018, at Anacostia High School, with author Kondwani Fidel and his (then) recent book Raw Wounds. Over these three years, HBE has hosted 46 events at 12 schools, clubs, academies, centers, and gatherings. Of those 46 events, wellness expert Brandon Copeland has hosted 11 yoga and health classes, providing much needed stress-relieving mindfulness techniques for students. We have produced seven additional author events for students with Kondwani Fidel, and have supplied books for book clubs at Ballou High School.
We have given away 1,730 books, and in 2020 HBE made monetary donations to six non-profit companies that focused on hunger, literacy, and more. By year-end 2020, we had drawn down our funds held with Companies for Causes, but our work continues. Over our first three years, we have touched the lives of hundreds of DC area students.
In 2021, our goal is to continue tithing our revenue from bulk book sales so that we can continue our work with area students. Our first event was held on January 28, 2021, with local DC author Keli Hammond speaking to students at the Goodwill Excel Center, an adult charter high school.
Thanks to the continued support of our clients and HBE community, we look forward to reaching our goal!